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ABBA – “Chiquitita”
Here in the States, “Chiquitita” barely cracked the Top 30, yet another victim of America’s ABBA apathy.
Richard Challen
Mar 30, 202010 min read
2,000 views
9 comments
Dionne Warwick – “Déjà Vu”
“Déjà Vu” is an odd marriage between two competing strands of late ‘70s pop: deep burgundy soul and schlock-heavy soft-rock.
Richard Challen
Mar 27, 20205 min read
728 views
10 comments
Foghat – “Third Time Lucky (First Time I Was A Fool)”
Foghat made their bones playing unrepentant Neanderthal blues for stoned teenagers, but their second-biggest single was pure country.
Richard Challen
Mar 25, 20203 min read
973 views
5 comments
The Alan Parsons Project – “Damned If I Do”
At some point, probably when an entire orchestra crashes in on top of the synthesized trumpets, it all becomes a bit too much.
Richard Challen
Mar 23, 20205 min read
881 views
4 comments
Fleetwood Mac – “Sara”
The mystery surrounding “Sara” isn’t a barrier to entry. The mystery is what makes “Sara” a masterpiece.
Richard Challen
Mar 20, 20208 min read
2,231 views
11 comments
Isaac Hayes – “Don’t Let Go”
A chewy morsel of glitter-ball silliness that returned the soul legend to the Top 40 for the first time since 1973.
Richard Challen
Mar 18, 20205 min read
467 views
3 comments
Daryl Hall & John Oates – “Wait For Me”
Long before the public got back on board, Hall and Oates had already figured out the direction that would reshape the rest of their career.
Richard Challen
Mar 16, 20207 min read
1,565 views
10 comments
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – “Don’t Do Me Like That”
It's as clean and direct as anything in Petty’s notably clean-and-direct catalog, buoyed by an arrangement that’s all accents.
Richard Challen
Mar 13, 20206 min read
852 views
4 comments
Pablo Cruise – “I Want You Tonight”
“I Want You Tonight” sounds like Pablo Cruise decided to glom onto every trend that was happening in late ’79. At the exact same time.
Richard Challen
Mar 11, 20204 min read
526 views
2 comments
Kenny Loggins – “This Is It”
Its streamlined surface practically defines the entire “yacht” aesthetic, even as its subject matter threatens to blow up the whole marina.
Richard Challen
Mar 9, 20207 min read
1,267 views
4 comments
The Buggles – “Video Killed The Radio Star”
A deeply sad song delivered like an advertising jingle, a triumph of technological wizardry bemoaning our obsession with technology.
Richard Challen
Mar 6, 202012 min read
1,627 views
17 comments
Prince – “I Wanna Be Your Lover”
“I Wanna Be Your Lover” is a sex song like most Prince songs are sex songs, but far too bright and fizzy to be confused with his later work.
Richard Challen
Mar 4, 20206 min read
1,017 views
4 comments
Jefferson Starship – “Jane”
“Jane” is gloriously stupid trailer-park rock’n’roll at its finest, no apologies necessary.
Richard Challen
Mar 2, 20205 min read
1,553 views
12 comments
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